The 10 Most Famous Dogs of the 20th Century
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole - whoever said that got it right about man’s best friend.
Competition and comparison are a human foible; dogs don’t have the time for this. As an exercise to learn something (and I did learn a lot of interesting stuff) I have prepared a list of canines that are generally considered to be the most famous ones of the last century.
Here goes – in no particular order.
Fala – By popular opinion, the most famous dog in the world and one of the most famous presidential pets, Fala was the beloved Scottish terrier belonging to FDR Roosevelt. Born on April 8, 1940 Fala was christened Big Boy and then Murray the Outlaw of Falahill by FDR himself. This was later shortened to Fala.
When a dog is named an honorary private in the US army and has a series of political cartoons devoted to him, then it’s fair to say that it was indeed a popular and well-loved dog.
Togo - A dog hero by any standards, a poster-boy for masculinity amongst canines. A Siberian husky with a coat of black, brown, and gray, Togo was born in October 1913 and weighed 48 pounds at maturity. He was the lead sled dog during Leonard Seppala’s 1925 relay from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. Togo and Seppala weathered temperatures as low as -40°C and gale force winds in order to make diphtheria antitoxin available at Nome. Togo is single-handedly responsible for the recognition of Siberian Huskies as an official dog breed in the US. Togo left for dog heaven on December 5, 1929.
Today, he stands on display in a glass case at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Museum Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska. The Nome serum run is commemorated every year by the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race .
Snoopy – “Yesterday I was a dog. Today I’m a dog. Tomorrow I’ll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There’s so little hope for advancement.” The owner of this quote and many other gems is Snoopy, without doubt one of the most loved and popular comic character ever created. Charles Schulz based his drawings on his childhood dog Spike. In his fantasies, Snoopy is a novelist, a beagle scout, a WWI veteran, champion player in Charlie Brown’s Little League team, and many other things. In real life, his is a humdrum existence and he is a failed lover who takes solace in food when he’s down.
Snoopy began his life at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, his dad ran with the hunting dogs and his mom made a mean tapioca pudding. In the real world, Snoopy is a huge icon with the US armed forces and NASA.
Rin Tin Tin – A German Shepherd with his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1623 Vine St. I guess that’s sufficient claim to fame for any canine. Rin Tin Tin was found shell-shocked in a dog kennel at Lorraine during WWI by American Lee Duncan. The dog took its name from wooden puppets called Rin Tin Tin that French kids played with.
In the US Rinty, as he was now called, was soon jumping almost 12 feet in air. He caught producer Charles Jones’ eye and his first brush with fame was in the 1922 film The Man From Hell’s River. Rin Tin Tin was a successful act and he spawned several successors in the film business.
Rin Tin Tin’s bloodline continues at the Rin Tin Tin kennel in Latexo, Texas. The current Rin Tin Tin is the 10th descendent of the German Shepherd pup that made its way to the US from France.
Lassie – Finally! A bitch in this list of top dogs. Of all the fictional dogs that have gained popularity, Lassie has probably had the longest run – since 1938 – and also across all media forms, be it films, TV, radio, or books.
This female Rough Collie is the creation of British-American author Eric Knight and ever since the first short-story in The Saturday Evening Post; Lassie stories have warmed the hearts of children and grown ups alike. Interestingly, all Lassie characters in films have been played by male dogs which are larger and do not lose their coat; thus the film shooting is not affected.
Scooby Doo – Thanks to Cartoon Network, today’s kids are well aware and some quite in love with Shaggy Rogers and his Great Dane Scooby Doo. Yet, it will come as a surprise to many that Scooby Doo has been around since 1969 entertaining kids with his gaffes, cowardice, and appetite.
Scooby also has relatives with the most rollicking names and defined characteristics – these include Scrappy Doo-his nephew; Dooby Doo-his triplet brother; Mumsy and Dada Doo, and Howdy Doo-his brother.
Balto – Balto was an Alaskan Malamute sled dog and he took part in the historic 1925 serum run to Nome from Anchorage.
Along with Togo, Balto ensured that the team of mushers managed to deliver the diphtheria serum in time to the residents of Nome. Balto’s feat led to his statue being erected at New York City’s Central Park, the statue was sculpted by Fredrick Roth. Balto’s stuffed body is on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Eddie – Eddie Spaghetti, because he had worms, was supposed to be one of the many minor characters on the sitcom Frasier. Yet, at the height of the show’s popularity Moose the Jack Russell terrier which portrayed Eddie, received more fan mail than any of the human actors.
Moose passed away in 2006 and was replaced by his son Enzo, who earlier worked as a stunt double. The long-running gag of Eddie taunting Frasier with an unremitting stare was a popular one in the show.
Old Yeller – The lead character in the 1957 Walt Disney production of the same name, Old Yeller is for many their ideal of a dog and also their best loved Walt Disney film, the ultimate “one boy and his animal” tale.
The film was based on a book of the same name and was set in the old post-civil war Texas. Old Yeller’s appeal lies in the manner in which the Mountain Cur dog gains a family’s respect and then makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the family.
Gidget– The Taco Bell Chihuahua that was responsible for boosting the brand’s sales as well as the interest in the breed. Apart from this, Gidget is also famous for the phrase “¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!” Gidget is currently living a retired life in La Grange, Texas but it sure had its moments under the sun when it did its bit for Mexico and Tacos in the United States.
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